We at Vital Health Foods believe in giving back. Embracing the 3BL (Triple Bottom Line) approach, we don’t only focus on profits, but on people and the planet as well. (Read more about our quest to become carbon-neutral on our Planet Focus page).
Healthy and happy individuals are at the core of any successful company. In the same way, healthy and happy communities build a balanced and prosperous society. Vital Health Foods stands firm that it is our responsibility to not only contribute to our staff’s wellbeing, but also to make a lasting impact on the surrounding community. At the heart of our CSI programmes is the desire to give back to the people, invest in their future and equip them to be the best they can be. Growing with our surrounding community and staff allows us to make a difference, to care and to stay connected to bigger picture.
INVESTING IN EDUCATION
Bishops Scholarship
At Vital Health Foods we believe that education forms the cornerstone of empowerment and transformation. That’s why we created an educational scholarship fund for scholars to attend Bishops High School in Cape Town. Every year, a new learner joins the scholarship programme. The scholarship occurs in perpetuity, thus Vital Health Foods is ensuring that there will always be a Vital scholar attending the school.
Learners are selected with a focus on empowering individuals from a disadvantaged background through education. Each learner is encouraged to participate in sport and is required to be involved with the coaching of learners from disadvantaged communities at sport clinics, thereby starting to reinvest the benefits they are receiving.
We hope that these scholarships will inspire leadership, pro-activeness and responsibility, while nurturing a culture of caring.
INVESTING IN EXCELLENCE IN SPORT
Natalie du Toit, a world-renown and international swimming sensation, is an inspiration to many, an icon of perseverance and determination. She has overcome massive obstacles in her quest to realise her dreams and reach her goals.
Vital Health Foods is proud to have Natalie du Toit as our Brand Ambassador and privileged to be able to support her as she motivates millions and encourages young talent to overcome challenges through positive thought and unwavering commitment.
View an interview with Natalie Du Toit here
INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY
Drakenstein Hospice Support
Drakenstein Hospice is a community of love in action, guided by the philosophy of no-end-to-caring for patients that suffer from incurable diseases such as cancer and AIDS.
Annually, Vital Health Foods hosts the Vital Spring Classic golf day. This is a fund-raising event in aid of Drakenstein Hospice. With Vital Health Foods sponsoring the golf day activities, all sponsorships and donations are handed over to Drakenstein Hospice. Over the past few years, we have been able to raise up to in excess of R150 000 per year, assisting Drakenstein Hospice in providing facilities to care for their patients.
For more information on this worthy and inspirational charity, visit www.drakensteinhospice.co.za
HIV/AIDS Support
Vital Health Foods supports a uniform, fair and compassionate approach to HIV and AIDS. We are committed to create a climate in which HIV/AIDS may be addressed in a sensitive and fearless manner.
HIV/AIDS education is the most effective way of preventing the spread of the disease as well as managing HIV/AIDS in the workplace. Vital Health Foods employees are therefore exposed to HIV/AIDS education on a continuous basis. Voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), including pre- and post-test counselling, is conducted by external health practitioners and confidentiality is guaranteed. Nutritional supplements that support the immune system are made available to all employees and product donations are made to HIV support clinics.
Athlone House Support
Vital Health Foods financially supported the Athlone House for abused women and children. The donated funds were used to build a counselling centre and facilities where skills training and other empowerment programmes are implemented.
INVESTING IN ANIMAL CONSERVATION
Cheetah Outreach Programme
Vital Health Foods regularly donates nutritional supplements to the Cheetah Outreach Programme at Spier in Stellenbosch. Vital Brewer’s Yeast and Vital Evening Primrose Oil are used to supplement the cheetahs’ diets with essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals that are important to help keep their coats shiny and help maintain good health.
Bayworld Oceanarium
At Bayworld Oceanarium in Port Elizabeth, Vital Lecithin Granules are used as part of the nutritional regime of dolphins and rescued seals.
“Vital Lecithin Granules are an essential ingredient in our hand-rearing formulas for marine mammals. These animals require higher protein intake an less carbohydrates:, says Robyn Greyling, Chief Curator of Marine Mammals and Seabirds at Bayworld.
We at Vital decided to donate Vital Lecithin Granules to the Oceanarium. Lecithin is a source of protein and essential amino acids, as well as choline and inosotil, important components of brain cells that support memory and concentration. We trust that the dolphins and seals receiving the lecithin will grow up to be healthy, intelligent and happy animals.
INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE
Every Vital employee is a representative of the company and part of the Vital Health Foods family. And because we care about every single employee, we nurture a culture of health-awareness, self-empowerment and life-improvement.
At Vital Health Foods we truly believe that healthy employees are happy employees, and happy employees make productive employees. We not only want to eliminate symptoms and diseases but also want to assist our employees to build lifestyles that will enable them to achieve their full mental and physical potential through health awareness.
Vital Health Foods places a high premium on and aims to promote the wellness of its employees at all times. The objective of our Vital Vitality Programme is to optimise the health of all Vital Health Foods employees.
Through the Vital Vitality Programme, employees have access to
- An on-site gym
- A subsidised on-site clinic which includes an occupational nurse and regular visits by a doctor
- Pilates and yoga classes during lunch hours
- Subsidised flu vaccinations
- Access to free vitamins
- Annual on-site HIV VCT (Voluntary Counselling & Testing)
- On-site corporate massage sessions
- An on-site Vita-slim weight clinic (Weigh-less sessions, healthy meal plans, healthy recipes and advice from our in-house dietician)
- Health screenings (including Body Mass Index, blood pressure, blood glucose levels and cholesterol, as well as eyesight screenings and testing)
- Various health-awareness sessions on relevant topics, such as diabetes, depression, HIV/AIDS, women’s nutrition, etc.
- Counselling (legal, financial, personal)
- Extramural activities such as netball and soccer
- Financial support for drug and alcohol addiction
Through these initiates we are raising the bar in terms of employee empowerment and setting an example of how a investing in a happy, healthy staff compliment, gives high and invaluable returns.
